Questõesde UNB 2010 sobre Inglês

The verb “to prevent” in the fragment “may not prevent languages from dying out” (L. 24) is closest in meaning to incite.

The word “which” in the fragment “which have imposed new methods” refers to “industrialization and scientific progress” (L.14).

The word “sharp” in the fragment “caused a sharp decline in linguistic diversity” (L.8-9) is synonymous with progressive.

The word “shrinking” in “to combat shrinking biodiversity” (L.22) is the same as stretching.

Languages such as Basque and Tamil may disappear in the foreseeable future.

Ten languages have died out each year all through the world.

The disappearance of minority languages may be accompanied by the emergence of new variants spawned by the diversification of dominant languages.

Given the speed at which languages are dying out, 15 per cent of the languages spoken today will have disappeared in a period of 300 years.

The fate of a language depends ultimately on its diversification.

The word “dauntless” in the fragment “man’s dauntless ally in the battle” (L.40) is synonymous with fearless.

Approximately 6,000 languages are spoken in the world today.

The word trigger in “by triggering positive feelings” (L. 24) is the same as hinder.

According to specialists, languages are condemned to death unless as many as 100,000 people speak them.

Language diversity is imperilled.

By the end of this century, the rate of language extinction will have reached unprecedented levels.

The main idea of the text is that language diversity is an obstacle to trade and to the spread of knowledge.

The word subside in the fragment “even after the laughter subsides” (L.8) means augment.

Infants begin smiling very early in life.

Laughing is a reflex action.

One can learn to laugh at any stage of one’s life thus incorporating humor into the fabric of one’s life.